Review of More Dead than Alive (1969) by Allan C — 22 Jul 2015

Interesting western had potential if it hadn't been so ham fisted. Clint Walker, who I always thought would have been the perfect Punisher, plays and infamous gunman released from prison and tries to go straight, leaving his reputation as "Killer Cain" behind him.

In the 18 years in prison, the west has civilized some and he grudgingly joins an old west shooting show as the feature act, much to the chagrin of the show's previous star, a young hothead quick draw artist who romanticizes the old code of the gunfighter, men calling each other out and romanticizing killing in general.

The film is thematically similar to Clint Eastwood's "Unforgiven" in regards to trying to unromanticize gunmen and killing, having an infamous gunman teaching a young kid that killing wasn't as honorable, brave or as justified as people thought it was.

However, while thematically interesting, the film covers the themes in such a hammy way with Clint Walker trying to teach the young hot head that killing isn't an easy thing and more often than not involved shooting a man in the back.

The film gets even weaker when the love of a good woman, Anne Francis, helps Walker find his way. But in the plus column, Vincent Price plays the shooting show owner and barker, and is as wonderful as always.

With smarter writing, this could have been a strong revisionist western, but instead it's more of a middling western that's rather corny, though still worth watching.